Concentrating table



J. A. MANNING CONCENTRATING TABLE July 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iled Feb. .16, 1959 INVENTOR. JOHN A MANN/N6 vozm,

J. A. MANNING 2,943,736

CONCENTRATING TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 5, 1960 Filed Feb. 16, 1959 United States This invention relates to apparatus for separating concentrates of ore from lighter fraction or tailings, and it is an object of this invention to provide a novel table construction for carrying out efiicient collection of concentrates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a table structure in which concentrate-separating and -sloping trays are moved repeatedly in a jarring manner to cause ore to move over the trays counter to the slope thereof.

:A further object of the invention is to provide novel means so mounting the trays that the same have the same motion throughout the extent of their ore-separating surfaces.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means supplying concentrate-washing water that moves along the trays in a direction counter to the advance of the concentrate over the surfaces of the tray toward discharge.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a concentrating table embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view.

The present concentrating apparatus comprises a base 5 of generally rectangular form, two similar sloping trays 6 disposed above said base in opposed relation, one on each side of the apparatus, means 7 adjustably connecting the trays and the base so that the trays are spaced from and movable in a horizontal plane relative to the base, means 8 for imparting successive jars or shocks to the trays in directions to move the concentrates of ore deposited thereon from the low points of the trays to discharge at more elevated points, means 9 to steady the trays so they will move uniformly throughout the extent of their surfaces, and means 10 to supply the trays with concentrate-washing water so that the same flows along the surfaces of the trays counter to the direction of movement of ore on the trays.

The base 5 may be variously formed. In this case, the same is shown with side or longitudinal members and end members 16 in rectangular form supported on corner feet 17. Parallel, intermediate members 18 span between the side members 15, and a middle floor member 19 also spans between side members 15.

The two trays 6 are alike but oppositely formed as lightweight metal castings to each have a table bottom 28, an endwall 21, a wall 22 above and parallel to an end of the base 5, and a set of riflies 23 extending along the upper surface of the tray bottom from the wall 22, the same being progressively longer from the rifiie 23a nearer wall 21 and the riffle 23b at the end of the tray that is opposite to said wall 21. a

The number of riflles 23 may vary, as desired, and each of them is tapered, as shown, toward its end opposite to Wall 22. The mentioned surface of each tray bottom is preferably formed to be smooth for most efiicient movement of ore thereover. In the above manner, each tray has an ore-receiving corner 24 defined by the walls 21 and 22 and the riffle 23a, and a set of progressively deeper recesses 25 between adjacent riflles.

As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the two trays are separated from each other at the middle of the base 5 and the same are spaced above said base as seen in Fig. 2.

The means 7 is shown as a set of three length-adjustable elements 26, 27 and 28 connecting each tray and the base portion over which disposed. The elements 26, 27 and 28 are shown as turnbuckles. The turnbuckles 26 connect the base and the corners 29 of the trays, and it is these corners that are the lowest of the trays. The turnbuckles 27 connect the base and the corners 30 on the same sides but at the opposite ends of the trays. Said corners 36 are where the ore is deposited as by tubes, pipes or chutes 31a and are more elevated than are corners 29. The turnbuckles 28 connect the base and the middles of the trays at the edges of said trays that are on opposite sides of the space between the trays. This edge 31 of each tray is opposite to the wall 22 where the corners 29 and 30 are located. The turnbuckles 28 are so length-adjusted as to raise said tray edges 31 above the opposite edges, as can be seen in Fig. 2. Because of the above-described double slope of each tray, the corner 32 is the most elevated corner, the same being diagonally opposite to the lowermost corner 29. The corner 33 is lower than corner 32 but higher than corner 30. It is the latter corners 33 that constitute the discharge of each said tray.

The means 8, in part, comprises a two-lobed cam 34 disposed between the trays and engaged by followers 35 projecting from the edges 31 of the trays. As can be seen from Fig. 2, each cam lobe is provided with a short but sharp drop 36 that, while the cam is turning, first gradually spreads apart the trays and, then, suddenly releases them, when so spread, as the followers drop off the cam 36.

The means 8 further includes spring means 37 that connects the trays and resiliently biases them toward each other. Thus, upon such sudden release by the cam 34, the tables sharply move toward each other and come to a sudden and jarring stop as the followers 35 strike low portions of the cam. It will be evident that particles of matter on the trays will be jarred so as to advance toward the more elevated edges 31. Since corners 32 of said edges are higher than are corners 33, said particles will advance along a diagonal course toward said corners 33.

The cam drops 36 can be small and the yield of the support elements 26, 27 and 28 such that the movement of the trays has suitable jarring action on the ore and yet the trays are steadily mounted.

The traysteadying means 9 comprises a pair of turnbuckl-es 38 each connected at one end 39 to the base and the opposite end 40 to the tray bottom 20. There is one pair of such turnbuckles for each tray. Said turnbuckles are preferably of equal length and form parallelograms with their ends. As a consequence, when the trays are jarred as above described, all portions of the surfaces of the trays move uniformly and all particles thereon are given the same advancing impetus. Hence, only the differences in the weighs of the paricles will cause increments of advance proportional to the weight. Under the same jar, heavier particles will separate from lighter particles because advanced in greater increments than the lighter particles.

The means is shown as a pipe 41 along each tray edge 31, the same being connected by and receiving water from a supply pipe 42. As suggested in Figs. 1 and 2, said pipes 4-2 may be perforated or slitted in a manner to discharge a film-like layer of water over the trays, the same, therefore, washing through the ore particles as the same advance toward discharge.

It will be understood that the cam 34 may be driven by a motor mounted on floor member 19 or, as shown, said cam may be carried by a shaft 43 mounted in bearings 44, afiixed to said floor member, and a pulley 45 on said shaft may be driven from any remote prime mover. It is only necessary that the cam 34 be turned at a desired speed to jar the trays in the most eflicient ore-advancing manner.

It will be realized that the ore supplied by pipes 31 is preferably in a suspension of water and that the ore particles settle downward onto the trays as excess water spills over the tray walls 22. As the ore advances from corner 24 and past the successively deeper recesses 25, the heavier particles of the ore will progressively move toward the tray edges 31 and the discharge corners 33 thereof. The initial supply of water will be supplemented by the supply from pipes 41 and will spill over said tray walls 22. Finally, after thorough washing by said supplemental supply of water, the tailings (lighter particles) will fall into a discharge chute 46 and the concentrate (heavier particles) will be discharged into chute 47.

Since the corners 29 of the trays are lowest, the water flow will naturally be in directions toward said corners. Any particles carried by said flow will be intercepted by the riflies 23 and, if heavy enough, will reach the tray floors. Then, the successive jarring movements of the trays will advance these particles toward concentrate discharge.

Thus, although the corners 33 are more elevated than the ore-receiving corner, the concentrae of said ore is separated out while pursuing a generally diagonal path over the smooth surfaces of the trays.

It will be realized that the present apparatus may have but one tray 6 instead of the two that are shown. The same or a similar cam and comparable spring means may be provided for jarring the tray in the manner above described.

While the foregoing specification illustrates and describes what I now contemplate to be the best mode of carrying out my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, I do not desire to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Ore concentrating apparatus comprising a horizontal base, a rectangular tray provided with a set of oretrapping riffles on the upper flat surfaces thereof, a set of three length-adjustable elements connecting the base and the two corners of the tray along one side and the opposite middle of the tray, said elements being adjusted to support the tray with said one side lower than the opposite side and one end lower than the opposite end whereby the four corners of the tray are differently elevated relative to the base, means to move the tray bodily in a direction toward its lower side edge and to suddenly release the same to jar its higher side edge so that particles of ore deposited on said tray surface are intermittently advanced toward the tray corner defined by the higher side edge and the lower end edge, and traysteadying means interconnecting the base and tray to hold the latter in a manner to move bodily and uniformly throughout, the latter means comprising a pair of horizontally disposed links arranged in parallelism beneath and connected to the tray.

2. Ore concentrating apparatus comprising a horizontal base, a rectangular tray provided with a set of oretrapping rifiies on the upper flat surface thereof, a set of three length-adjustable elements connecting the base and the two corners of the ray along one side and the opposite middle of the tray, said elements being adjusted to support the tray with said one side lower than the opposite side and one end lower than the opposite end whereby the four corners of the tray are diiferently elevated relative to the base, means to move the tray bodily in a direction toward its lower side edge and to suddenly release the same to. jar its higher side edge so that particlesof ore deposited on said tray surface are intermittently advanced toward the tray corner defined by the higher side edge and the lower end edge, and traysteadying means interconnecting the base and tray to "hold the latter in a manner to move bodily and uniformly throughout; a second and similar tray disposed in spaced opposition to the described tray, the tray jarring means being positioned in the space between the trays and jarring the same simultaneously; the tray jarring means comprising a cam having lobes provided with sharp drops, said means including a spring biasing the trays toward each other and into jarring engagement with said cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 90,227 Boehm May 18, 1869 149,622 Wilder Apr. 14, 1874 1,057,079 Mossberg Mar. 25, 1913 1,110,070 McLeod Sept. 8, 1914 11,291,616 OConnell Jan. 14, 1919 1,513,693 Butchart Oct. 28, 1924 1,781,810 Dyer Nov. 18, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 605,603 Great Britain July 27, 1948 

